Did you hear Trading Spaces is coming back to the TLC network? Do you think Hildi will be back? You remember Hildi, right? She’s the designer that created this wall-sized mosaic of herself in one episode:
And glued hay to someone’s wall in another episode:
And brought in wheelbarrows full of sand in this episode:
I love her fun spirit, but boy would I have a hard time with that much sand (or hay! or Hildi!) in our house- LOL! 😀
For those that didn’t watch Trading Spaces, the concept of the series was pretty simple: Neighbors would swap houses and work with big-personality professionals to revamp a room in their neighbors’ home. Sometimes things went well, and other times the neighbors didn’t like the renovations at all. It was a top show for TLC during a large portion of its run and it’ll be back, ten years after the original series ended, in 2018.
They haven’t said if any of the designers, carpenters or host from the original show will be returning, or whether homeowners will have a larger budget than before, or whether the contestants will still wear brightly colored button down shirts for three days. I’d love to find out if they’ll be casting new designers. Maybe I’ll send in a submission? 😀
Genevieve Gorder was always my favorite in the original series. I found these before and after photos of some of the room she worked on back then and boy has her style changed over the past 10 years!
Here’s another one of her redos from back in the day:
One thing I noticed in both rooms is how high a lot of the wall art and decor is hung. Maybe that was the trend back then?
All I know is that I’m pumped Trading Spaces is making a come-back and I sure do miss ‘Dear Genevieve’ on HGTV! Remember this bathroom makeover she did on that show?
I loved the tile she used by the tub:
And I’m intrigued with the idea of using a half-round table as a desk after seeing this episode online today:
I’ll have to think more about that and keep my eyes peeled the next time I’m at a flea market.
I miss Sarah Richardson and Candice Olson’s shows on HGTV too. Gosh, they were good! And who remembers ‘Room by Room’, ‘Decorating Cents’, ‘While You Were Out’, ‘Country at Home” with Mary Emmerling and The Christopher Lowell Show? Man, those were the good ol’ days!
What about you? Who was your favorite designer on Trading Spaces? And what was one of your favorite design shows from the past that isn’t on the air anymore?
Happy Saturday!
Layla
I was also a big fan of Trading Space but I loved watching Lynette Jennings Design.
She was the BEST!
I used to record episodes on my VHS tapes to watch later. Hahaha. Pre-dvr days 😆 My fave was always Genevieve too. Although she did put moss on someone’s wall once 😲
We use to like that show, glad its coming back. So tired of hunting for houses or knocking down walls ( didn’t know a heating vent ran thru this wall, you could have checked in the basement you would have seen it) or pretend crises (only 1 hour left).
My favorite was Sarah Richardson, no drama only great ideas.
I’d be surprised if the ones that made it like Genevieve or Vern Yip were to return and definitely wouldn’t want to see most of the others (liked Frank but because he seemed especially nice.) Time to break out some new upcoming talent! (I guess that must have been the way to hang art or we’d remember thinking it was weird.)
Actually, hanging art too high has always been a faux pas. Rule of thumb: art should always be at eye level or an inch or two above. I learned this rule over 55 years ago, and I’m sure it’s been in place for a LOT longer than that. Example: observe how museums hang their art.
Yes, that’s exactly how I always approach it (with the caveat that you have to also view everything on a case-by-case basis as well). The difficulty comes when you are doing something specifically for an individual – I was hanging a mirror in my son’s room this week and had to account for optimum viewing for him rather than anyone else and he’s almost 6′ 9″!
I agree, Sarah Richardson is a great, classy designer. Hope she comes back. Loved each room sh “cared ” for!
Vern Yip was always my fave with Genevieve running a really close second. I miss Christopher Lowell. He was so flamboyant and completely convinced he could totally make over an entire room with a $50 budget (furniture included)! He was the one that originally talked me into being brave enough to try and so has my eternal gratitude.
Sarah Richardson’s whole house make overs. She would buy a house and every week makeover a room until it was done. My favorite ” The Farmhouse “. She did there summer cottage and has done a couple others that have only aired in Canada. I know I’m not the only person in the U.S. that wants to see it back on HGTV.
Trading spaces was fun, glad they’re bringing it back, but hopefully with better designers!😉 Would love to see you on their Layla!!!! Hoping they bring Sarah Richardson back or Candice Olson. Sarah’s farmhouse was my fav!
Whoa…I thought the answer was going to be you! Kinda glad it’s not..your life sure would change!
Kathy – I was thinking and hoping for the same thing! Although, I’m sure filming such a show would take too much precious time from Sweet Pea. 😉 Layla- you’ve certainly got what it takes to make an audience “feel all the feels” and to be part of the creative process. We can always hope for such an announcement one day!
Well, I may or may not have reached out to the production company this morning…so we’ll see if that leads anywhere! 🙂
Fingers crossed! I hope Laurie will be back too! She was my fav.
Let us know if you need write-in votes!!!
Genevieve was my favorite to watch, but I liked the designs of Laurie and Vern the best. I miss Sarah Richardson’s, Candace Olsen’s, and Emily Henderson’s shows the most!
I also enjoyed Kitty Bartholomew (?)
I wish they would return to actual decorating shows. I always loved Christopher Lowell’s show – he had such great ideas and always made things look fantastic and attainable with a small budget. It seems there’s not much on except house hunters, and first-time homebuyers (who unrealistically want the whole world in their first starter home!).
You named all my favorite too! Room by Room was one of the first decorating shows I watched and I love anything Candice Olson or Sarah Richardson do. I wish they still had shows airing. Decorating Cents could get a little kooky. Christopher Lowell was great too. I’m so sick of all the House Hunter shows that are constantly on.
We did not have access to cable television until 2011! The only name I recognize is Genevieve and I wondered what ever happened to her. Show cancelled?
Laurie was my favorite. I have her book and still refer to it often. I miss Candice Olsen and Mary Emmerling so much. I have always preferred the décor shows to the real estate ones. be glad when that trend is gone!
Please, increase the budget. I look at the photos you posted and cringe. Tacky, tacky, tacky. I don’t care how good the designer is, there is only so much they can do with a low ball budget. My favorite designer was Laurie HIckson-Smith. She became my favorite after I read an magazine interview with her that featured her home in Jackson MS and she had ceiling fans. Her comment was something like “this is the South; we need ceiling fans”. Vern Yip was good, too.
Lynette Jennings was great. Her show Homeworks was the first design I show I watched.
Some great names/talent from the past. Guess the newer shows are cheaper to produce? Thanks for the memories.
And Lynette Jennings & Kitty Bartholomew.
Ooh! How could I forget about those two!
Oh, I used to love Candace! She and Sarah Richardson were my favorites! I miss the days of those decorating shows. Now there is too much house hunting type stuff on. I hope they bring more decorating back. I wish you would be on a show! I would totally watch it!
I loved Sarah Richardson and Candice Olsen too. But one of my favorites was the show on Lofts, they´d showcase three lofts an episode from different cities. I LOVED it. Sometimes, I don´t think there are enough decor shows for citi living. Or even decorating a rental where you´re restricted by both budget and lease restrictions.
Loved Trading Spaces! Although I really liked Genevives personality and “joie de vivre”, Vern and Laurie were my favorites in terms of design. But I have to admit, Sarah Richardson is my all time favorite. And yes, if they are taking applications, you should most definitely go for it!
Candice Olsen was an elegant designer. Looking forward to the new Trading Spaces and HGTV is my go to! So much better than watching politics or some of these network shows.
Can’t wait to see if the new verison is as fun as the orginal. I loved Laurie Smith 🙂
I “harass” err politely ask ;)HGTV on a monthly basis to get Sarah Richardson back on. I adore her and Tommy.
Definitely the Sarah Richardson show!! She’s still a fave!
I’ve been wondering why HGTV changed their format so drastically. We were overseas 8 years and I was SO DISAPPOINTED when I came back. There’s no variety now. Same old, same old, for HOURS ON END. A little of anything goes a long way, and I rarely tune in to HGTV any more except to watch the new show Home Town. (Because I’ve followed Erin’s blog for years, and was so happy to see she’s just as down to earth on TV as she sounds on her blog.) I really don’t get the reason for showing the same show, back-to-back-to-back-to-back…… so many episodes of the same show for hours every day.
Laurie the red head was great! And don’t forget Carter the carpenter. Sigh.
I miss Design Time Saturday Night, as HGTV called it back in the day! Loved Candice Olsen & Sarah Richardson, too. All of those shows piqued my interest in design & decorating. Very intrigued by the new Trading Spaces – loved the show but the final products were always so…..interesting. Can’t wait to see what the new concept is like! And you would totally ROCK on that show!
I don’t even watch HGTV any more because of the boring junk they have on now. If they would come back with these great decorating shows, I would be a faithful watcher again. Christopher Lowell and Lynette Jennings were my favs. Miss them.
My favorite was Laurie (sorry I dont remember her last name). She always used such gorgeous fabrics. I miss Sarah Richardson the most, followed by Candice Olsen (although I wasnt that much of a fan of either of their last shows). I do remember all those other ones you mentioned. Do you remember Home Savvy and Home Time (PBS) I think my husband had a crush on Joanne Liebeler who was partnered with Dean Johnson to remodel homes. Little did he know she was an actress
I agree with everything & everyone. On Trading Spaces, Vern was my favourite designer. Never had to worry about him using hay on someone’s wall! Good golly what WAS Hildi thinking?! I’d forgotten about Lynette Jennings! She always had great ideas & designs! Thanks for reminding me about her! Christopher Lowell was ALWAYS so much fun to watch! Loved him! Of the “current” HGTV designers, Sarah Richardson is definitely my favourite! I’d have her in my house in a heartbeat! Here in Canada, we have a few others that I’m not sure HGTV has on in the States: Samantha Pynn (love her), Danielle Bryk (amazing modern fresh design) & a few designers on morning tv, Karen Sealy, Jackie Glass, Shai Deluca, Jane Lockhart & Brian Gluckstein. But the show that I absolutely LOVED was Designing For The Sexes with Michael Payne. He was coming up with these wonderful solutions for couples that just couldn’t get on the same page. Just beautiful!
You’re gonna laugh but in addition to the ones you named, I liked Jane Lockhart’s Get Color! series. At first, I thought it was hokey. Thought it would never work. She used a color wheel that had all these things that the homeowners had fond memories of. They made color choices off of those items. Like if she was going to do a feature wall, they might pick the pretzels on the wheel and she’d paint the wall the color of the pretzel. It was amazing to see how almost giddy the homeowners were when she brought out items that represented a favorite hobby or trip or sports, etc. It interested me to see how attracted people were to a certain color not because of the color as much but because of what it meant to them.
Added note: When Flo started doing her insurance commercials, I thought she was Jane Lockhart. Until I google Flo’s real name and saw her out of Flo’s makeup. It used to trip me out thinking Jane Lockhart wasn’t really a designer, just an actress who hosts design shows and also does insurance commercial. Flo’s originally was or is a standup comedienne.
Layla, Did you catch Genevieve when she remodeled her own apartment? It was fun watching what she put into her own home!
I also thought you were announcing that you were joining in on the ‘Trading Spaces’ production! 😉Long time follower!
I loved Frank – I think that was his name. Remember that awful upside down room Hildi did? All the furniture was nailed to the ceiling. People actually cringed when they found out Hildi was designing their home.
Oh how I wish HGTV would even just run some of the old shows even if they don’t bring them back new. Kitty Bartholomew was great and her designs would probably still look good. We need an “HGTV Gold” channel with all the older Sarah Richardson, Candice Oleson, “Designing for the Sexes” and Kitty B. and Lynette Jennings. Those were all so good. I even liked the one where they went through nice neighborhoods and driving around special places in cities to see the nicer homes. I can’t remember the name of that show but it was really good. And you used to have shows that actually told you how to garden instead of showing someone’s horrid landscape being professionally done over in one day.
That show was called “Dream Drives” and I loved it!
Also “Country Style”. Bet they would be good if we watched them today!
Sandra, I loved Michael as well. IN fact, he’s on my facebook friend’s list. I have Emailed him about a design he did a few years ago. It was colors I needed. He was so gracious and Emailed me back with the colors. And he was thrilled I loved his design. What a task he took on to try and please couples who had very different design likes.
I loved the “Get Color” series too! She could always pull just the right shade/tone (?)from the favorite items that would all work together.
I enjoyed HGTV when they had s variety of shows not just House Hunters and Fixer Upper (although I do like that show).
Frank was my favorite. He actually listened to what the homeowners wanted. And what was the deal with no ceiling fans? Some of us cannot sleep without one!
Do you remember the episode in the reveal where the woman saw the room and quietly said, I’m going to have to leave now, walked away and then you heard her sobbing off camera? I loved watching it but I would never let anyone in my home except Frank.
I miss the old days of HGTV when they actually gave you good, sound decorating instead of trying to sell you a house. You named my favorites.
I agree and miss all of those shows! I’m tired of the real estate shows. I do like Fixer Upper and Home Town…but wish they would just quit the fake “looking for a house” part and focus on the reno. Sarah Richardson is still on hgtv Canada… don’t know why we can’t get it too! The former shows were geared for more normal people with average incomes who wanted to do a little home redecoration…not everybody is thinking about buying a house every week…❤️
Looking at those pictures it is amazing how much things have changed. I don’t think any of those make overs would appeal to us now. I would totally watch you on any show…talented, kind, and adorable. (You even did a design for me once.)
I still remember the lady who hated brown. Don’t remember the designer but whole living room was Brown! She walked in, took one look, then ran out of the house crying. “Awkward” Trading Spaces moment. Wasn’t Frank the old guy who always had a country touch? Love him and Vern! So classy!
Oh, Layla, you and I loved the same shows! I have hope they’ll someday bring Sarah Richardson back to US TV. For now, Instagram has to do. I miss the decorating shows with the takeover of all the real estate shows.
I watched an interview with Vern Yipp that I believe was fairly recent and it talked about this show possibly coming back and he said he would love to do it again….so I’m going with him as a very good possibility! 😉
Genevieve was my favorite on Trading Spaces. I used to watch Lynette Jennings & Christopher Lowell. It’ll be fun to check out the new Trading Spaces.
I was thinking about that show!!! “What ever you do DO NOT —-” and the friend would try to stop the designer. I say MEAN designer from doing the very thing asked not to do!!! And a lady walked out and supposedly was unfriending her friend!! Pre social media days. And the moss on wall episode straight from a forest!!! And didn’t someone GLUE feathers??!! And Vern ripped out beams as sooo yesterday and loved red everything and JoJo brought beams back and open shelves and hardly a speck of red. I did love that show!!!! I think though I loved decorating cents because they “redid” a room for a budget. But oh yes Candace Olson had no budget so ahhhh her design was sooo beautiful when done!!! And Sarah loved her ability to mix prints!!
Ty and Carter were my favorites!
Remember Trading Spaces was based on the BBC show Changing Rooms with Handy Andy the carpenter and designer Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen? I always loved seeing those cottages and homes…..so different. Also, what about Debbie Travis? I loved her show and her personality. And all the others y’all have mentioned. Those were the days when it was all so new to television.
Sorry, hated Trading Spaces. I wouldn’t let any of those “designers” near my house. I felt so bad for the families who came home to a hot mess. I really miss Sarah Richardson, she taught us so much about mixing patterns and choosing interesting light fixtures. I wish they would just re-run her old shows or sell them on iTunes.
Maybe they just need a *new* batch of designers in order for you to enjoy it? 😉
I could do without Trading Spaces. I’d rather see Sarah Richardson and more sophisticated design. Or a Design on a Dime that’s not stuff made of junk!
I so agree with you Dawn!
What a hoot this post was…you gave me some seriously funny memories 🙂 I won’t divulge the name of the person or the exact MISHAP on Christopher Lowell’s show, but I was working for the woman and she had a FAIL on air!!! She was terribly convinced she could do no wrong, BUT man o man, there is video to prove she could!!! The few of us working for her didn’t know how to handle the situation…pretend it didn’t happen? Tell big fibs and grow long noses? Genevieve was always my favorite, but wondering what I was thinking back then…wow, thank goodness her style changed-ha! Vern was always so nice to people and didn’t come right out and say oh my goodness, ah that would be a NO!!!
Never got into Trading Spaces. Never really liked the finished design and if my neighbor did to my house what they did I would probably have to move cause I probably wouldn’t be friends with them anymore. Wish HGTV would get rid of the real estate shows. Seems to have turned into a real estate channel rather than a decorating channel. Loved all the classic good decorating shows they used to air. Candace and Sarah and Kitty and Michael from Designing for the Sexes. Can only imagine all of the marriages he saved.
I loved Vern ,Paige not,so much. #asthehoast💖 Room By Room,loved that one. Then I remember a show when I got,married, 80’s I think she’s Nates mother. She was so,sweet.